This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the disclosure. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Conventional conveyor belts which are used in heavy duty applications are typically comprised of a cured rubber or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based material as a top layer, a cured rubber or PVC based material as a bottom layer, and a single ply fabric reinforcement layer (a carcass) having a warp and weft, disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer. The cured rubber or polyvinyl chloride based material may also serve to adhere various components of the fabric reinforcing carcass. For example, individual layers and reinforcing elements included in the carcass may be encapsulated in a matrix of polymeric elastomeric resin, such as a polyvinylchloride based material. The individual layers are saturated with the liquid elastomer-forming polymeric resin prior to being joined together, and the reinforcing elements may be inserted, for example, by tufting, sewing, or stitch-bonding. In cases where the liquid saturate is a polyvinylchloride plastisol, the resin is gelled, or otherwise cured, by application of heat.
Conveyor belts of these types can offer excellent performance characteristics and a relatively long service life. However, this construction is limited by the type of splicing techniques that can be used, and generally requires mechanical splicing or finger type splicing to produce the belt as a finish product, which can be achieved only in complex operations. Furthermore, in some instances, thermoplastic belts having top and/or bottom layers based upon general purpose PVC may present issues related to hardness, coefficient of friction with materials conveyed or other conveying equipment, as well as insufficient abrasion resistance.
Thus, there is an ongoing need for manufacturing conveyor belts utilizing improved splicing techniques, as well as top and bottom layers formed from materials with improved properties, such needs met, at least in part, with embodiments according to the following disclosure.